Dr. Termini aims to improve the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplants, which are used in the curative treatment of the majority of patients with leukemia or lymphoma. Prior to transplant, patients must undergo radiation therapy to decrease the number of cancerous blood cells. In order for hematopoietic stem cells to effectively repopulate the blood and immune systems of the transplant recipient, the stem cells must reach the bone marrow where they can expand.

Dr. Potok [HHMI Fellow] is investigating how gene expression is controlled by heterochromatin (the physically compacted form of DNA) and genomic instability. In the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, reduction in a chemical mark on the chromatin, called H3K27me1, results in heterochromatin decompaction, abnormal gene expression and the production of extra DNA from certain regions. Extra copies of DNA are a sign of genomic instability often observed in cancers. She will characterize the mechanism underlying genomic instability.